This invention relates to methods and apparatus for rolling up and deploying collapsed hose.
More particularly, the invention relates to methods and apparatus whereby lengths of hose are wound and stored to enable such hose to be readily deployed when water pressure is applied to the hose.
A fire hose is conventionally deployed with some care before water pressure is applied to it tightly wound or improperly bundled hose tends to kink when water pressure is applied, cutting off the flow of water through the hose. Unfortunately, spreading out the hose requires both time and working space, both of which are in especially short supply during a structural fire.
In a conventional arrangement, a section of fire hose is straightened out toward the fire, doubled back, and then doubled back again to proceed toward the fire. In such an arrangement, a double loop of fire hose is spread out without sharp kinks. However, the double loop requires a long section of working space. In a structural fire where working space is limited, such an arrangement is unwieldy and sometime impossible to use.
When fighting a fire in a stairwell, firefighters conventionally extend a section of fire hose down the stairs, in a single loop. They then pull the hose up from the stairs from one end of the hose section as they advance toward the fire. Such a technique requires a long section of heavy, water-filled hose to be pulled up and out from the stairs.
In another conventional technique firefighters extend a dry section of fire hose up a flight of stairs in a single loop. They then pull the hose down from the stairs from one end of the hose section while advancing toward the fire. Such a technique can be dangerous because it requires a firefighter to climb the stairs and be above the fire while laying out the hose in this manner.
When the firefighters have finished using the fire hose, they must roll it up or bundle it for storage. The format in which the hose is stored depends on the manner in which it is intended to next be deployed. A compact hose roll, commonly known as a xe2x80x9cdoughnut roll,xe2x80x9d may be used to store the hose in a compact format, although the hose must be methodically spread out before water pressure is applied to it.
The expanded hose coil is used in wildland firefighting. In this arrangement, the hose is coiled up with a radius that is large enough to prevent kinking of the hose. The expanded hose coil may then be folded up into a compact package for transportation to another wildland fire.
Although devices having extension arms for rolling up fire hose into an expanded hose coil are known, such devices are unsatisfactory for use generally, and specifically in fighting structural fires. Fire hose used in fighting structural fires is generally of a larger diameter than hose used in wildland firefighting. Expanded hose coils wound with known devices have inadequate radius to be suitable for such hose. Inadequate safety of such devices remains a concern because the extension arms have the potential to cause injury if the hose unrolls suddenly. In addition, such devices lack the compactness and versatility required of firefighting tools.
A hose roller according to various aspects of the present invention is used to roll up collapsed hose into an expanded hose coil. Such a hose roller includes a crank and a mounting plate. In a variation, the crank is removable, having a handle and a forked shaft, which is inserted into the mounting plate. In such a variation, the plate rotatably mounts on one side to a fixed support, and receives the forked shaft on the opposite side.
A dual-mode hose roller according to various aspects of the present invention may be used to roll up collapsed hose into either a compact hose roll or an expanded hose coil. Such a hose roller includes mechanical connection points for extension arms, which allow the hose roller to be adapted for rolling up collapsed hose into an expanded coil. Such a hose roller also includes mechanical connection points for a removable crank, which allow the hose roller to be adapted for rolling up and convenient removal of a compact hose roll.
The crank and mounting plate are arranged to facilitate transmission of torque from the crank to the desired type of hose winding. When a compact hose roll is desired, torque is transmitted directly to the hose through a mechanical connection between the forked shaft and an end of a section of collapsed hose. When an expanded hose coil is desired, torque is transmitted to the hose through the mounting plate and the plurality of extension arms.
In a variation, the mounting plate is rotatably mounted on a fixed support through a bearing and a ratchet mechanism. By limiting the rotation of the mounting plate to one direction, the ratchet mechanism prevents the hose roller from unwinding in response to tension from the hose being rolled up. Thus, the potential for injury from the extension arms is reduced.
In another variation, the extension arms are sized so that the hose roller forms an expanded hose coil having a suitable diameter for structural fire hose. In a further variation, the minimum separation of opposing points of the coil is approximately 48 inches. This separation ensures that pressure may be applied without kinking, to an expanded hose coil of 1xc2xd inch diameter heavy duty fire hose. In a still further variation, the minimum separation of the coil is approximately 58 inches. This separation ensures that pressure may be applied, without kinking, to an expanded hose coil of 1xc2xe inch structural firefighting hose. By permitting such large diameter hose to be used, such a variation permits an expanded hose coil to be used in efficient structural firefighting.
In accordance with various methods of the present invention, preparation is made for fighting a structural fire by arranging a section of collapsed hose into a hose bundle. A section of hose is rolled up into an expanded hose coil and arranged into a number of hose loops to form a hose bundle. In one such method, the hose bundle is stored in a hose compartment of a fire engine, from which it may be removed for deployment. In another such method, the hose bundle is stored in a box. When water pressure is applied to the hose bundle, it falls out of such a box to form an expanded hose coil.
An automatically deployable hose pack according to various aspects of the present invention allows fire hose to respond to pressurization by falling out of a box onto a flat surface, then filling with water to form an expanded hose coil. Such a hose pack includes a box and a section of fire hose enclosed within the box. The hose is arranged as an expanded hose coil that has been folded up into a number of parallel hose loops. By folding the expanded hose coil into a limited number of parallel loops, each loop is made sufficiently long to accept pressurization without kinking.